Confirmed Tatkal Ticket Booking: How to Get it Under 1 Minute

Do you have to attend a very important business meeting but still don’t have the train ticket? Are you about to appear for a crucial exam and are worried that the Tatkal Tickets might be sold soon? Or do you have to attend that family emergency, but are worried about being Waitlisted?

Tatkal Train booking can seem like a race where failing would essentially mean cancellation of the travel plans. With so few seats available and thousands of people looking for a Confirmed booking, Tatkal Tickets end up in a matter of minutes. 

But what if I told you that you can book your Confirmed Tatkal Ticket in less than a minute? In this blog, we have compiled all the important tricks, hacks and strategies that guarantee a seat on your desired train.

Understanding Tatkal Ticket Booking

What is a Tatkal Ticket?

Tatkal Ticket is a special quota provided by Indian Railways which allows ticket booking just a day before the departure of a train. This allows travellers to book the ticket at the last minute if they are unable to book tickets under the General quota. 

Indian Railways starts booking tickets under General quota 60 days before the date of departure of a train. But due to high demand for tickets, these are sold out within a few days- sometimes even in hours for busy routes.

Tatkal Ticket Scheme thus appears as the last resort for people looking to make a booking urgently. With this scheme you can book reserved coaches except those belonging to the General/Unreserved and 1AC category.

Tatkal Booking Timings

Indian Railways follows strict timings to open the booking for Tatkal Tickets. For the convenience of passengers, booking timings are different for AC and Non-AC coaches. Here are the timings:

• AC Class (2A/3A/CC/EC): At 10:00 AM, one day before departure.
• Sleeper Class (SL):  At 11:00 AM, one day before departure.

It is important to note here that, for Tatkal booking the departure time is considered from the Origin Station and not the Boarding Station. For example, if a train is to be boarded at Raipur and the origin station of that train is at Chennai, then the user needs to book one day before departure from Chennai station. This could be 2 days before he actually gets to board the train at Raipur station.

Rules and Charges for Tatkal Tickets

Tatkal Ticket Rules:

• Tatkal tickets are limited in number and end up in seconds.
• A maximum number of 4 people can book Tatkal Tickets against one PNR Number.
• There are no special concessions available for Senior Citizens, Students or Persons with Disabilities as is available in General quota booking.
• Passengers must carry the Identification Document submitted at the time of Booking.

Tatkal Tickets Charges:

• For Tatkal Tickets, an extra Tatkal Charge is levied which is equal to 10% of basic fare for Second Class and 30% for all the other classes. These charges are also subject to a maximum and minimum limit which are as follows:

Cancellation and Refund Policy:

• No refund is allowed in case a Confirmed Tatkal Ticket is Cancelled.
• Refunds for Confirmed Tatkal Tickets are entertained only when there is a problem with the train. This includes being delayed for more than 3 hours, Diversion on the route, etc.
• Waiting List Tatkal Tickets are automatically cancelled if booked Online. Refund process is initiated automatically and a minimal Clerkage Charge ₹60+ GST is levied.
• Waiting List Tatkal Tickets booked Offline can be Cancelled and Refund initiated 30 minutes before the Time of departure. You need to visit the Railway Counter for Cancellation and a minimal Clerkage Charge ₹60+ GST is charged. Some stations also add a Convenience and Transaction Charge.
• No refund for Offline Waiting List is granted less than 30 minutes from the Time of Departure.

Why It’s Hard to Get a Confirmed Tatkal Ticket

Securing a Confirmed Tatkal Ticket is not an easy task. Here are the reasons that make it so difficult:

• Few tickets, Huge Demand: There are very few tickets and such is the rush of people looking for a booking, that tickets end up in seconds.
• Server failure: IRCTC experiences such a heavy rush that it often leads to system lags or server downtime.

• Agents and Bots: As if the huge rush of passengers was not enough, many Railway ticket agents and Bots compete for the same as well.

• Slow Internet: Many times our own internet connection betrays us by providing a very slow connection.

• Waiting List Issues: Even if you are able to book a ticket, it might end us getting WaitListed. 

How to Book Tatkal Ticket Under 1 Minute

Now it is time to Book the Tatkal Ticket in less than a minute. Just follow our specially curated to-do list and rest assured for a guaranteed Confirmed Tatkal Ticket:

• Log in to the IRCTC website or the Rail Connect Application 10 minutes before the booking opens. (10AM for AC Coaches and 11AM for Sleeper Classes)
• Rail Connect requires a MPIN. This can be switched with a Biometric Identification. Choose the latter alternative for faster authentication.
• Pre save the details of the passengers such as Name, Age and IDs using the Master List feature. Pre-saving passenger details saves time during the booking as you don’t have to manually enter all the required information.
• Hit the refresh button exactly 10 seconds before the Booking time. As soon as tickets become available, hit the Book Now button without any delay.
• Select the “Book only if Tatkal Confirmed Berths are allotted” tick box. This will prevent the Cancellation charges if a Waiting List ticket is booked.
• For payments, use IRCTC eWallet, Paytm wallet or other UPI Methods. Avoid using Net Banking or Card Payments methods as they are time consuming.

All of these steps are aimed at minimising the time spent on booking the tickets. By following these steps you can book quickly and secure a Confirmed Tatkal Ticket. 

Tatkal Ticket Booking Hacks

These are some of the pro tips and hacks that can add on to your chances of booking a Confirmed Tatkal Ticket:

• Log In from multiple IDs. Multiple IDs enhance your chances of booking. If one Id fails due to any reason you can instantly switch to another.
• Use IRCTC RailConnect App instead of the website as the app is often found to be faster at the peak hours.
• You can use third party sites to check essential railways services such as Checking Seat Availability and PNR Status. IRCTC websites face constant server downtime. Railway apps like RailMitra thus become a better alternative to the legacy rail platform.
• Keep a fast and reliable internet connection.
• If money is not an issue, choose a higher seat category. For example, choose 2AC instead of 3AC. The 3AC coaches would naturally have higher demand compared to 2AC ones. Opting for 2AC thus enhances the chances of confirmation.
• If even after following all these steps you are unable to book a ticket, look for Premium Tatkal options.

Conclusion

Booking a Confirmed Tatkal ticket might look like a mythical fan fiction for most of the Railway passengers. But with the right strategy, planning, tips and hacks you can turn this around.

Abiding by the methods and tricks mentioned in this article, you are bound to get a secured ticket. You can use other Railway App like RailMitra to access important train services when the Indian Railways suffers downtime.

With speed, presence of mind and a few simple hacks you can win this Tatkal Ticket scheme. Your confirmed Train Ticket is now within reach. Extend your arm and grab it now.

FAQs for Tatkal Ticket Booking

Q. What are the rules of Tatkal Booking?

Ans: Tatkal Booking starts one day before the departure of a train from Origin Station. For AC Coaches booking starts at 10AM while for Sleeper coaches booking begins at 11AM.

Q. How many people can be in a Tatkal ticket?

Ans:  There can be a maximum of 4 people against 1 PNR Number for Tatkal Ticket Booking.

Q. Can Tatkal be booked 2 days before?

Ans: No Tatkal can be booked only the day before departure from the Origin Station. However, there can be a case where the train takes one day to reach from the Origin Station to your Boarding Station. So technically you would board the train, 2 days after the booking. However, booking took place only 1 day before departure from Origin Station.

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